Sonoma fifth-graders find out what's 'lit' at NMSU

It was a typical Friday afternoon in the lobby of Garcia Hall at New Mexico State University — except for the fact that dozens of fifth-graders from Sonoma Elementary School were in tow for a tour,
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Students from Sonoma Elemntary School play video games in the Residence Hall Association game lounge in Garcia Hall at New Mexico State University, Friday March 9, 2018. Students toured parts of NMSU, from classrooms to dorms, and had lunch at Corbett Center.(Photo11: Josh Bachman/Sun-News)Buy Photo

LAS CRUCES - It was a typical Friday afternoon in the lobby of Garcia Hall at New Mexico State University — except for the fact that dozens of fifth-graders from Sonoma Elementary School were in tow for a tour, some of whom raised a serious question: "Is this place lit?"

The answer seemed all too apparent when the students rushed into the game room and let out shrieks of joy upon seeing several flat-screen TVs mounted to the walls, each equipped with a gaming system.

"It was a goal to have them have an opportunity to see what it is like to be a student at college," Sonoma Principal Melissa Galaz said, "and to see what NMSU has to offer as far as academics (and) sports programs."

Galaz said all fifth-graders from the school — about 120 from four classes — participated in Friday's tour, which started with a welcome from Dean Enrico Pontelli and Associate Dean for Academics Beth Pollack, both of the College of Arts and Sciences.

"We wanted to bring kids (so they can) have a memory of NMSU and NMSU students — and everything we do here — so they actually can start believing they can go to college," Communications Studies Professor Anne Hubbell said. "We hope they come to NMSU. But if we get one kid who hadn't thought they could go to college (and) now wants to go college and it isn't NMSU, it's still a success."

“We wanted to bring kids (so they can) have a memory of NMSU and NMSU students — and everything we do here — so they actually can start believing they can go to college.”

Communications Studies Professor Anne Hubbell

Hubbell said the idea for Friday's tour came from Sonoma Elementary counselor Patricia Delgado and parent-volunteer Monica Estrada.

"I took it to the dean — Dean Pontelli — and he said, 'I love it, let's do it,'" she said. "So he gave us money toward the buses, but the kids (also) had to earn money for the buses."

By 11 a.m., most of the fifth-graders found themselves eating lunch among NMSU students at Taos in Corbett Center.

"I'm really glad to be here today because we get to see how college students live and what work they have to do," student Diesel Gomez said before eating lunch. "I'm really enjoying that we get to get out of school and learn about what's happening here."

Another student, Nathaniel Ball, said he most enjoyed visiting the Creative Media Institute, while his brother, Gabriel Ball, said touring Garica Hall was his favorite part of the field trip.

"It's a great living place and (there's) different things you can do when you're not actually in the dorm," Gabriel said.

Britton Rosser, meanwhile, said he was impressed with NMSU's athletics program and sciences courses, both of which he described as "really cool."

Madelynn Mergio said she enjoyed all the "hands-on experiences" during the tour and said she wants to become an Aggie one day. "I would like to study probably the media because I think it's really cool how they transform it," she said.

The students ended their time at NMSU with a question-and-answer session with Deputy Provost Greg Fant and other officials. Students who asked the "best" questions were given prizes.